Ethical aspects against initiation or discontinuation of antibiotic therapy in end-of-life patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18270/bp.v1i1.4101Keywords:
Antibiotics, Antibacterials, Autonomy, Bioethics, Quality of Life, Palliative Care, Chronic DiseaseAbstract
Purpose/Context. The increase in advanced and incurable chronic diseases, particularly cancer, has increased the need for palliative care teams to provide comfort and improve quality of life, although the use of some measures aimed at symptomatic control is considered controversial.
Methodology/Approach. This review is aimed at reflecting on the ethical dilemma that arises in patients at the end of life, related to the convenience of initiating, continuing or withdrawing antibiotic management with reference to the ethical framework of the principles of Beauchamp and Childress.
Results/Findings. Different studies have found that, on average, 74 % of patients with advanced cancer who are hospitalized receive antibiotic management during the last week of life and few studies have managed to demonstrate the positive impact on symptomatic control and patient recovery with the implementation of this measure.
Discussion/Conclusions/Contributions. Therapeutic proportionality should be related to the exercise of medical autonomy to define whether an intervention is futile.
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